Sequential timing switch device



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SEQUENTIAL TIMING SWITCH DEVICE Filed Oct. 10, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. .2. 3 s

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United States Patent SEQUENTIAL TIMING SWITCH DEVICE Raymond P. Bothwe-ll, Sumter, SC.

Application October 10, 1958, Serial No. 766,567

7 Claims. (Cl. 200-38) This invention relates to timers, and more particularly to an electrically operated timer having means to measure off a plurality of successive predetermined time periods.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved electrically operated timing switch device which is adapted to measure otf a plurality of predetermined successive time periods and to close its contacts at said time periods, the timer being simple in construction, involving relatively few parts, and being easy to set up to establish the desired program of sequential closure of its contacts.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved electric timer which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, and which provides accurate timing in a desired sequence of steps, the timer being easy to set up for use, and being relatively compact in size.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved sequential timer which may be employed to establish a program of sequential closure of its contacts, the timer being provided with an alarm circuit which closes simultaneously with the closure of the timer contacts, and the timer being further provided with indicating means showing the stage of operation of the timer.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 a top .plan view of an electric timer constructed in accordance with the present invention.

the line 5.5 of Figure 4 and illustrating the electrical wiring diagram of the elements of a circuit associated with the timer.

Figure -6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of .Figure 5.

Figure 7 is .an enlarged fragmentary horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view .taken on the line 88 of Figure 6.

Figure 9- is an enlarged cross sectional detail viewtaken on the line 9-9 of Figure '5.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken on the line Ill-10 of Figure 6.

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the cooperating ratchet collar elements provided .to allow manual resetting of the minute-indicating ,pointer ofthe timer.

Referring to the drawings, the electric timer is designated generally at .11 and comprises a generally cylindrirca l housing 12 having the horizontal bottom wall 13 and 2,937,246. Patented May 17, 1960 provided with the top cover disc 14 of insulating material, such as plastic material, or the like.

The circular top cover 14 is formed with the evenly spaced apertures 15 located adjacent the peripheral edge of the disc 14 and spaced apart by distances corresponding to one minute intervals. Thus, in the typical embodiment illustrated, the timer is arranged to operate for a period of two hours for a complete cycle thereof and .120 apertures 15 are provided, the spacing between the successive apertures corresponding to one minute periods.

As shown in Figure 6, each aperture 15 has a cylindrical top recess portion 16 communicating with the smaller vertical bore portion 18. Slidably received in the vertical bore portion '18 is the shank 19 of a peg member 20, each peg member having an enlarged top portion 21 which is slidably receivable in the associated cylindrical recess 16. A coiled spring 22 surrounds the shank 19, bearing between the bottom of the recess 16 and the annular shoulder defined by the bottom of the associated enlarged top element 21 of the peg member. Extending transversely through each shank portion 19 is a trans verse pin 23 which is receivable in diametrically opposed vertical recesses 17, 17 formed in the bottom of the cover member 14, the recesses 17 being of sufiicient axial length to allow substantially the entire portion of the enlarged top head 21 of the peg member 20 to be exposed above the top plane of cover member 14 when the pin 23 is received in said recesses 17.

As shown in Figure 7, the cover member 14 is formed with diametrically opposed vertical slots 25, 25, spaced at 96 from the recesses 17, 17, said slots providing clearance for the transverse pin 23 when the peg member is inserted in the associated aperture 15 and allowing the pin 23 to be moved downwardly sufliciently so that it may be rotated to engage the pin 23 in the diametrically opposed holding recesses 17, '17.

Between the slots 25 and the recesses 17, the bottom surface of the cover disc 14 is formed with diametrically opposed pairs of relatively shallow radial recesses 26, 26 in which the ends of the pin 23 may be engaged, whereby 'to hold the associated peg member 20 in a relatively depressed position, wherein the shank element 19 thereof depends a substantial distance below the bottom plane of the cover disc 14, for a purpose presently to be described. However, when the ends of the pin 23 are in the radial recesses 17, 17, as shown in Figure 6, the spring 22 maintains the peg member in an elevated position wherein the shank element 19 is retracted upwardly.

As will be readily apparent, in order to lock the pin in a depressed position, it is merely necessary to exert downward pressure on the head 21 of the peg member 20 and rotate the same through an angle of approximately 45 either clockwise or counter-clockwise, whereby the transverse pin 23 will become engaged in a pair of diametrically opposed radial recesses 26, 26, whereby the peg member will be locked in a depressed position.

As will be further apparent, each peg member may be mounted on the cover 14 by passing the ends of the associated transverse pin 23 through the diametrically opposed radial slots 25, 25, and then rotating the peg member through an angle of to engage the ends of the pin Gear 31 is integrally formed with the relatively small pinion gear 35 which meshes with a larger gear 36 formed integrally with the vertical shaft 37. The shaft 37 is journaled in a conventional manner in the frame 28 and is integrally formed with the small pinion gear 38 which meshes with a relatively large gear 39 formed integrally with a sleeve 40 rotatably receiving the vertical shaft 32. The sleeve 40 is rotatably mounted in the top plate 41 of frame 28 and has a reduced intermediate portion which extends rotatably through a central bearing plate 42 secured on top plate 41. Slidably mounted on the top end of sleeve 40 is a collar member 43 which is formed with diametrically opposed vertical slots 43, 43 receiving opposing radial lug elements .45, 45 projecting from sleeve 40 and preventing rotation of collar member 43 thereon. A coiled spring 44 surrounds sleeve 40 and bears between collar member 43 and a bearing collar 45 secured to sleeve 40 over plate 42.

Rotatably mounted on the upper portion of the shaft 32 is a sleeve member 46 which extends upwardly through the central aperture 47 of top cover plate 14 and which has secured to its top end the radially extending minute-indicating pointer 48, overlying the top surface of cover plate 14. Sleeve 46 is formed at its bottom end with an annular flange 49 opposing the collar member 43 of the lower sleeve 40. The members 43 and 49 are formed with cooperating ratchet teeth, as shown in Figure 4, the ratchet teeth being arranged to allow the upper sleeve 46 to be rotated independently of the lower sleeve 40 only in one direction, namely, a direction corresponding to clockwise rotation of the minute-indicating pointer 48, as viewed in Figure 1. As will be further apparent from Figures 4 and 11, the ratchet teeth of the collar member 43 are directed so that clockwise rotation of the sleeve 40 drives the sleeve 46 in the same direction, namely, in a clockwise direction, as

viewed in Figure 1, causing the pointer 48 to rotate clockwise. A collar 46' is secured on the upper portion of sleeve member 46, bearing against the under surface of plate 14 and limiting upward movement of sleeve member 46. The synchronous motor 29 drives the shaft 32 in a clockwise direction, causing the second-indicating hand 33 to be likewise rotated in a clockwise direction,

but at a much faster speed than the minute-indicating pointer 48. The arrangement is such that the secondindicating pointer 33 moves one-half a revolution in one minute, whereas the minute-indicating pointer 48 ad- 'vances through an angular distance corresponding to the spacing between a pair of adjacent apertures 15 in this period. The minute-indicating pointer 48 may be adjusted to any desired position on the dial member 14 by rotating same in a clockwise direction, as above explained.

Concentrically secured to the bottom surface of the circular cover disc 14 are conductive rings 50, 51 and 52. Rigidly secured to the sleeve 46 is the radially extending arm 54.

The arm 54 is formed with a projection 58, and pivoted to the end of said projection for rotation in a horizontal plane, namely, in a plane parallel to the cover member 14, is a finger member 59 which is biased to a position substantially parallel to the arm 54 by a coiled spring 60 surrounding a bolt 61 extending through the arm 54 and the finger 59 and provided at its end with a retaining nut 62. As shown in Figure 5, the spring 60 is mounted on the shank of the bolt 61 and bears between arm 54 and finger member 59,'biasing the finger member to a position substantially parallel to the arm.

Finger member 59 is formed on its free end with a bracket portion 63 extending adjacent the free end of the arm 54 and being substantially in radial alignment with said arm. Mounted on the bracket portion 63 is a solenoid 64 having its axis in radial alignment with This rotates the sleeve member 46, carrying with it the arm 54 and provided with a plunger 65 also radially aligned with the arm 54 and provided with biasing spring means 66 biasing the plunger 65 to a position wherein its forward end portion 67 projects beneath the apertures 15, as shown in Figure 6, whereby said projecting portion 67 will be engaged by the depending shank 19 of a peg element 20 when said peg element is locked in its depressed position. Energization of the solenoid 64 will cause its plunger 65 to be retracted to disengage the forward portion 67 of the plunger from a'depending element 19 of a depressed peg member 20.

Mounted on the side of arm 54 facing the finger element 59 are respective contact members 69 and 70. Yieldably mounted on the finger member 59 facing the contact element 69 is a cooperating contact element 71 which normally is spaced relatively closely adjacent to the contact element 69, as shown in Figure 5. A contact element 72 is mounted on the finger member 59 opposing the contact 70 but being fixed with respect to the finger member 59, the normal spacing between the contacts 70 and 72 being much greater than the spacing between the contacts 69 and 71.

As shownin Figure 9, the arm 59, which is of insulating material, is pivotally connected to the projection 58 by a rivet73 which extends through the tongue element 74 on the projection 58 and the spaced lugs 75, 75 formed on the ends of the finger member 59 which receive the tongue 74 therebetween.

Designated at and 81 are a pair of line wires leading to a source of electric current, for example, leading to the domestic power line. The respective line conductors 80-and 81 are connected through respective switch poles 82 and 83 to wires 84 and 85, the switch poles 82 and 83 being ganged together for simultaneous actuation and are operated manually. The synchronous motor 29 is connected to the wires 84 and 85 by respective wires 86 and 87.

The wire 85 is connected to one of the terminals 86 of a conventional female socket 87 adapted to receive the male plug 88 associated with an appliance to be controlled. The outer conductor ring 52 is connected to the wire 85 by a wire 89. The intermediate conductor ring 51 is connected directly to the wire 84. The inner conductor ring 50 is connected by a wire 90 to the re- Contacts 69 and 70 are connected together by a common conductor 93 which is in turn connected to the contact brush 56. Contact 71 is connected to contact brush 55 by a flexible conductor 94. Contact 72 is connected by a wire to one terminal of solenoid 64. The remaining terminal of solenoid 64 is connected to the contact brush 57 by a flexible conductor.

when the switch poles 82 and 83 are closed, motor 29- becomes energized from the line wires 80 and 81.

arm 54, and rotation thereof continues until the outwardly projecting end 67 of plunger 65 engages the depending shank portion 19 of a peg element 20 which has been locked in a depressed position at a predetermined point on the dial member 14, corresponding to a first designated time. When the member 67 engages the depending shank element 19 it causes contact 69 to engage contact 71' thus'connecting conductor ring 50 to conductor ring 51. This energizes the alarm bell 92 by a circuit comprising line wire 81, switch pole 83, wire 85, wire 89, the winding of hell 92, wire 90, conductor ring 50, conductor ring 51, wire 84, switch pole 82, and line wire 80. Since the terminals 91 and 86 of receptacle '87 are connected in parallel with the bell 92, the receptacle 87 is effective to energize the appliance connected to the receptacle through the plug 88. The bell 92 and s short period of'time, determined by the amount of travel of arm .54 required to .close the contacts 70 and 72,;the solenoid 64 is energ zed by a circuit comprising line wire 80, switch pole '82, wire 84 conductor ring 51, brush 56, conductor 93, contact 70, contact 72, wire 95, the winding of solenoid '64, wire 96, brush member 57, ring 52, wire 89, wire 85, switch pole 83, and linewire .81. As soon as solenoid 64 becomes energized the plunger 65 is retracted, releasing the finger member 59 .and allowing the finger .member to swing away from the arm 54 by the action ofits biasing spring 60. This simultaneously opens the contacts 72, 70 and 71, 69, while freeing the finger member 59 so that it resumes its normal position parallel to the arm 54. The'arm 54 thus continues its rotation until the projecting portion 67 of plunger 65 again encounters a depressed peg member, whereupon the above described action is repeated.

As will be readily apparent, the timer may be set to provide a predetermined sequence of timed operations of an appliance connected to the socket 87 by its plug 88, an alarm being given by the bell 92 during each period of energization of the appliance. The timer thus provides accurate timing of a sequence of operations of an appliance over a period comprising the time required for the minute-indicating pointer 48 to travel through a complete revolution over the dial member 14. At the point at which the appliance becomes energized the alarm bell 92 provides an audible signal, indicating the closure of the controlled contacts 69, 71, the alarm continuing until the contacts open as the finger member 59 is released. As. will be further apparent, any desired sequence .of timed periods maybe selected, and the cycle of operations of the timer may continue to repeat itself indefinitely as long as the switch poles 82 and 83- remain in closed positions, The sequence of the timed periods of closure of the switch contacts 69, 71 are in minutes, since the intervals corresponding to the spacing between the apertures are likewise in minutes. The second-indicating pointer 33 may be employed to visually indicate intervals of less than one minute. As will be readily apparent, the device may be employed to measure off time periods of less than one minute by first setting the peg member forwardly adjacent the minute-indicating pointer 48 to a depressed position, whereby the interval will begin as soon as the alarm bell 92 becomes energized, and the desired time period may be measured off by watching the movement of the second-indicating pointer '33 as soon as bell 92 becomes energized.

It will be readily understood that the face plate, namely, the top cover 14, may be calibrated in any suitable manner, depending upon the gearing arrangement of the electric clock mechanism 27. Thus, as above stated, the face plate may be arranged in intervals providing 120 minutes of operation for a complete cycle of revolution of the minute-indicating pointer 48. The second-indicating pointer 33 may rotate through one complete revolution in a specified period, for example, in a period of two minutes, whereby the second hand 33 will indicate one minute during one-half of a revolution thereof. Thus, in the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1, the numerical markings at the peripheral portion of the face plate 14 may designate minutes, with respect to the minute-indicating pointer 48, and seconds with respect to the secondindicating pointer 33.

The timing device above described has a wide range of utility, and is especially useful in photographic work where the operator is working in a dark room and where a number of steps must be performed in sequence and of different time duration, for example in the processing of color film, these steps being performed in total darkness. In this type of activity, the timer above described provides an audible signal at the end of a predetermined time, and does not require resetting for the next step, since it automatically continues its operation and provides the next signal at the next predetermined time period.

While a specific embodiment of an improved sequential electrical timer has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric circuit maker and breaker of the character described comprising a'rotary shaft, a stationary face plate disposed concentrically with said shaft, said face plate being formed with apertures arranged concentrically with said shaft, a peg element removably engaged in a selected aperture and extending through said face plate, an arm secured to said shaft adjacent said face plate, a finger member pivoted to said arm, retractable abutment means on the free end of said finger member engageable with said peg element, cooperating switch contacts on said finger element and said arm, and means retracting said abutment means responsive to pivotal movement of said finger member relative to said arm.

2. An electric circuit maker and breaker of the character described comprising a rotary shaft, a stationary face plate disposed concentrically with said shaft, said face plate being formed with apertures arranged concentrically with said shaft, a peg element removably engaged in a selected aperture and extending through said face plate, an arm secured to said shaft adjacent said face plate, a finger member pivoted to said arm, retractable abutment means on the free end of said finger member engageable with said peg element, first cooperating switch contacts on said finger member and said arm, second cooperating switch contacts on said finger member and arm, said cooperating switch contacts closing sequentially responsive to pivotal movement of said finger member relative to said arm, and means retracting said abutment means responsive to closure of said second cooperating switch contacts.

3, An electric circuit maker and breaker of the character described comprising a rotary shaft, a stationary face plate disposed concentrically with said shaft, said face plate being formed with apertures arranged concentrically with said shaft, a plurality of peg elements disposed in selected apertures and extending through said face plate, an arm secured to said shaft adjacent said face plate, a finger member pivoted to said arm, retractable abutment means on the free end of said finger member engageable with said peg elements, first cooperating switch contacts on said finger member and said arm, second cooperating switch contacts on said finger member and arm, said cooperating switch contacts closing sequentially responsive to pivotal movement of said finger member relative to said arm, and means retracting said abutment means responsive to closure of said second cooperating switch contacts.

4. An electric circuit maker and breaker of the character described comprising a rotary shaft, a stationary face plate disposed concentrically with said shaft, said face plate being formed with apertures arranged concentrically with said shaft, a peg element removably engaged in a selected aperture and extending through said face plate, an arm secured to said shaft adjacent said face plate, a finger member pivoted to said arm, retractable abutment means on the free end of said finger member engageable with said peg elements, first cooperating switch contacts on said finger member and said arm, second cooperating switch contacts on said finger and arm, said cooperating switch contacts closing sequentially responsive to pivotal movement of said finger member relative to said arm, electromagnetic means mounted on said finger member and constructed and arranged to retract said abutment means when energized, and means to ener- 7 gize said electromagnetic means responsive to closure of said second cooperating switch contacts.

5. An electric circuit maker and breaker of the character described comprising a rotary shaft, a stationary face plate disposed concentrically with said shaft, said face plate being formed with apertures arranged concentrically with said shaft, a plurality of peg elements disposed in selected apertures and extending through said face plate, an arm secured to said shaft adjacent said face plate, a finger member pivoted to said arm, retractable "abutment means on the free end of said finger member engageable with said peg elements, first cooperating switch contacts on said finger-member and said arm, second cooperating switch contacts on said finger member and arm, said cooperatingswitch contacts closing sequentially responsive to pivotal movement of said finger member relative to said arm, electromagnetic means mounted on said finger member and constructed and arranged to retract said abutment means when energized, and means to energize said electromagnetic means responsive to closure of said second cooperating switch contacts.

6. An electric circuit maker and breaker of the character described comprising a support, a vertical rtary shaft journaled on said support, a horizontal stationary circular face plate mounted on said support concentrically with and receivingsaid shaft, said face plate being formed with a plurality of spaced apertures arranged concentrically with said shaft, a peg element re- 8 peg element, cooperating switch contacts on said finger member and said arm, and means retracting said abutment means responsive to pivotal movement of said finger member relative toisaid arm.

7. An electric circuit maker and breaker of the character described'comprising a support, a vertical rotary shaft journaled in saidsupport, a stationary'horizontal circular face plate mounted on said support concentrically with and receiving said shaft, said face plate being formed with. a plurality of evenly spaced apertures circularly arranged, and disposed concentrically with said shaft, a plurality of peg elements disposed in selected apertures and depending below the bottom surface of said face plate, an arm secured to said shaft subjacent said bottom surface, a finger member pivoted to said arm, retractable abutment means on the free end of the finger member engageable with said pegelement, first cooperat ing switch contacts on said finger member and 'said arm, secondcooperating contacts on said finger member and arm, said cooperating switch contacts closing sequentially responsive to pivotal movement of said finger member relative to said arm, electromagnetic means mounted on said finger member and being constructed and arranged to retract said abutment means when energized, and means to energize said electromagnetic means responsive to closure of said second. cooperating switch contacts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

